Goodwill (Goodwill) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Goodwill Rollforward and by Segment
Goodwill	$ 11,886	$ 12,000	$ 11,781
Accumulated impairment	(1,933)		0
Goodwill total	9,953	11,935	11,781
Acquisitions	1,141	1	39
Dispositions	(8)
Impairments	0	(1,868)	0
Goodwill allocation			0
Effect of foreign currency translation and other	(544)	(115)	180
Goodwill	12,410	11,886	12,000
Accumulated impairment	(1,868)	(1,933)
Goodwill total	10,542	9,953	11,935
American Life Insurance Company [Member]
Goodwill Rollforward and by Segment
Goodwill	0	0	6,809
Accumulated impairment	0	0	0
Goodwill total	0	0	6,809
Acquisitions	0	0	0
Dispositions	0
Reduction of goodwill	0
Reduction of accumulated impairment	0
Impairments		0	0
Goodwill allocation			(6,809)
Effect of foreign currency translation and other	0	0	0
Goodwill	0	0	0
Accumulated impairment	0	0	0
Goodwill total	0	0	0
MetLife Bank [Member]
Goodwill Rollforward and by Segment
Reduction of goodwill	(65)
Reduction of accumulated impairment	65
Impairments			(65)
Accumulated impairment			(65)
Retail [Member]
Goodwill Rollforward and by Segment
Goodwill	3,125	3,125	3,125
Accumulated impairment	(1,692)	0	0
Goodwill total	1,433	3,125	3,125
Acquisitions	0	0	0
Dispositions	0
Reduction of goodwill	0
Reduction of accumulated impairment	0
Impairments		(1,692)	0
Goodwill allocation			0
Effect of foreign currency translation and other	0	0	0
Goodwill	3,125	3,125	3,125
Accumulated impairment	(1,692)	(1,692)	0
Goodwill total	1,433	1,433	3,125
Group, Voluntary & Worksite Benefits [Member]
Goodwill Rollforward and by Segment
Goodwill	138	138	138
Accumulated impairment	0	0	0
Goodwill total	138	138	138
Acquisitions	0	0	0
Dispositions	0
Reduction of goodwill	0
Reduction of accumulated impairment	0
Impairments		0	0
Goodwill allocation			0
Effect of foreign currency translation and other	0	0	0
Goodwill	138	138	138
Accumulated impairment	0	0	0
Goodwill total	138	138	138
Corporate Benefit Funding [Member]
Goodwill Rollforward and by Segment
Goodwill	900	900	900
Accumulated impairment	0	0	0
Goodwill total	900	900	900
Acquisitions	0	0	0
Dispositions	0
Reduction of goodwill	0
Reduction of accumulated impairment	0
Impairments		0	0
Goodwill allocation			0
Effect of foreign currency translation and other	0	0	0
Goodwill	900	900	900
Accumulated impairment	0	0	0
Goodwill total	900	900	900
Corporate & Other [Member]
Goodwill Rollforward and by Segment
Goodwill	470	470	470
Accumulated impairment	(241)	(65)	0
Goodwill total	229	405	470
Acquisitions	0	0	0
Dispositions	0
Reduction of goodwill	(65)
Reduction of accumulated impairment	65
Impairments		(176)	(65)
Goodwill allocation			0
Effect of foreign currency translation and other	0	0	0
Goodwill	405	470	470
Accumulated impairment	(176)	(241)	(65)
Goodwill total	229	229	405
Latin America [Member]
Goodwill Rollforward and by Segment
Goodwill	527	501	229
Accumulated impairment	0	0	0
Goodwill total	527	501	229
Acquisitions	1,140	0	0
Dispositions	0
Reduction of goodwill	0
Reduction of accumulated impairment	0
Impairments		0	0
Goodwill allocation			312
Effect of foreign currency translation and other	(79)	26	(40)
Goodwill	1,588	527	501
Accumulated impairment	0	0	0
Goodwill total	1,588	527	501
Asia [Member]
Goodwill Rollforward and by Segment
Goodwill	5,387	5,533	72
Accumulated impairment	0	0	0
Goodwill total	5,387	5,533	72
Acquisitions	0	0	39
Dispositions	0
Reduction of goodwill	0
Reduction of accumulated impairment	0
Impairments		0	0
Goodwill allocation			5,163
Effect of foreign currency translation and other	(489)	(146)	259
Goodwill	4,898	5,387	5,533
Accumulated impairment	0	0	0
Goodwill total	4,898	5,387	5,533
Europe, the Middle East and Africa [Member]
Goodwill Rollforward and by Segment
Goodwill	1,339	1,333	38
Accumulated impairment	0	0	0
Goodwill total	1,339	1,333	38
Acquisitions	1	1	0
Dispositions	(8)
Reduction of goodwill	0
Reduction of accumulated impairment	0
Impairments		0	0
Goodwill allocation			1,334
Effect of foreign currency translation and other	24	5	(39)
Goodwill	1,356	1,339	1,333
Accumulated impairment	0	0	0
Goodwill total	$ 1,356	$ 1,339	$ 1,333